Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-24
LITTLE BEN.
Jacob Cough.

captain! voice was soft and
gentle as woman s-''Captain, can't
you take me with you to st. LOUISE"
mot allowed to carry any passen-
gers said the captain, gruffly, without
looking up from his desk.
The tug-boat Staver, with her tow of
barges, was lying at the bank at Cairo,
Ill. She was the only boat in sight that
showed any sign of life; all the others
were laid up for the winter; navigation
was perilous. The great river was
choked and full of huge masses of float
ing ice, and ali the land was deep with
snow and sleet. 1t was intensely cold.
1t was the 22d of December.
Il didn't mean to 60 as passenger"
said the voice. 81 thought maybe you
might let me work my way along with
the crew."
No; got all the hands We want, /
believe" said the captain, busy with
his bills.
Captain. I'll work mighty hard
captain, please, can't l go with you,
sirP" He tried TO speak bravely. but it
was painfully evident that he was fore
ing back Il sob.
The captain finished his waybill and
looked up at his visitor.
''Wcll, | be d-mn' said the cap
tain.
1t was very small boy who had Of
fered his services to the captain; lad
with the face and features of u delicate
girl His soft, dark hair hung in wave
lets about his neck His cheeks were
pinched and shrunken as if from illness.
His clothing was scant and thin. He
was trembling with cold, and his wide,
brown eyes had in them look SO inn
ploring that the captain, as soon as he
had recovered from his establishment,
told him to come into his office and get
warm.
Il know I'm mighty little, captain"
said the boy as he stood by the stove,
''but Pm twelve years old, and I'll
work hard as anybody. sir"
That's all right, sonny" said the
captain. What's your name, any
how?"
Ben" answered the boy.
80 you want to 90 to st. Louis, do
you, Ben? What do you want to 60
there f0r?"
The boy looked at the bluff officer a
moment and then he said:
lies almost Christmas. and | prom
ised mother | was coming home. Moth
er lives in St. Louis"
His simple words touched the cap
tain. The captains mother lived in
st. Louis, too and he was trying to
reach home iii time to spend the holi-
days with her.
We'll. what's the matter?" asked the
captain. Amt you got no money!?
Set down here. little chap. and tell us
about it. Looks like you've been hav-
ing pretty tough time"
The boy sat down. and the captain
by much questioning obtained his story.
His parents had resided in New Or
leans. He was born there. His father
was an artist, who made sufficient
income to support his family in COM
fort and to send his son to musical
school. Two years before his father
died suddenly and his mother moved
to St. Louis. where she invested her
funds in trade and opened q modest
little millinery establishment in one of
the poorer sections of the city. Bust
ness did not flourish with the widow,
but she managed by dint of saving to
keep her boy at school.
never hUGW Ull Wuab luOlu6I Hdo
plenty of money" said the boy. in. his
simple way. ''She always gave me
everything wanted, till one day last
summer she came to my room, and l
was singing and playing on my gui-
tar"-large tear drops had been slowly
forming in the boys eyes; he hastily
brushed them away with the back Of
his hand. ''She looked so pretty" he
said, 'that | ran up to her and kissed
her. She was smiling when she came
in my room, but when | kissed her she
laid her head on my shoulder and cried,
and it nearly killed me; | never saw
mother cry before. And she said she
was just nervous and nothing was the
matter; but l made her tell me, and she
said her money was nearly gone and
she was afraid | would have to stop
music lessons. And | told her not to
cry, cause I'd make money for her, aud,
captain, | done it, too" There was 4
tone of triumph in his voice, and for 4
moment his pale face flushed with con-
scious pride.
Il never told mother what | was 60
ing to dol knew she wouldn't let me
but | took my guitar and went out of
the house, and then | wrote mother a
note and told her [ was going away for
a little while. and | would write to her
every day and send her money.
walked from one town to another all
the summer ana in the evenings / used
to stand on the corner and sing, and
people gave me lots of money. l sent
it all 10 mother, except Il little kept to
pay my board. l told mother was in
business. | never said what business.
/ made plenty of money in the summer
time, but when the weather got chilly
didn't make so much. and | sent it ali
to mother. and sometimes slept out
doors. And then | got sick and l had
chills every day, and they shook me all
to pieces. and l couldn't sing like
used to and people stopped paying me.
and sold my guitar to man, and
sent the money to mother.
And every letter l got from mother